Some Reject Reconciliation with Christians But Approve It with Syria
Former MP Ghattas Khoury said, in an interview with LBC television on Thursday, that claiming that Syrian troops will not return to Lebanon will not reassure the Lebanese because some Syrian agencies may yet return.
He expressed fear for Lebanon’s sovereignty and added that no one could ignore or overlook the fact that some Lebanese people thought that the Syrian regime was involved in assassinations in Lebanon.
He also said that the international community and Lebanese state services’ role and work should be enhanced to prevent the return of assassinations.
“How can some claim that bringing about reconciliation among Christians is not necessary but, at the same time, make efforts to forge reconciliation with Syria?” he asked.
He said that no one wanted to embarrass President Michel Sleiman but Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun’s reception in Damascus raises some question marks. He added that one day; Lebanese-Syrian relations will be normalized and called for respecting the formal means of conducting relations between countries.
He noted that difficulties would persist if Syria continued to intervene in Lebanese internal issues and failed to acknowledge Lebanon’s sovereignty and appoint an ambassador to Beirut.
“I do not deny that Syria has an interest in establishing diplomatic ties with Lebanon, at least, to show commitment to the French initiative,” he said.
Khoury said that the parliamentary elections were approaching and, “we will see whether Aoun’s visit to Syria has positive results or not.”
He also said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had previously announced that he will win the parliamentary elections in 2009 and added that claiming that the elections will be delayed will create security tensions.
He affirmed that the March 14 alliance was preparing to hold a general conference but it has not named the place and the time. The movement discussed during its last meeting in Qoreitem the possibility of forming united lists of candidates, he added.
He said that the Doha Agreement does not change the fact that the May events occurred.